


The Past is Behind Us

by gloryasme



Category: The Arcana (Visual Novel)
Genre: #mercedes melchior and innana become besties, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Alternate Universe - Modern with Magic, Alternate Universe - Superheroes/Superpowers, Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Family Drama, Feelings, I'm determined to get Muriel and Lucio alone together, Mistakes, Nonbinary Asra (The Arcana), Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, a n g s t, board games ensue, fluffo doggos, idk if i want to add the courtiers, malak and chandra are bird buddies, my bois need to forgive and forget, reader is rich af, reader looks like the apprentice, the characters are sent to the readers world, this was inspired by uno don't @ me, uno games ensue
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-07-21
Updated: 2019-07-24
Packaged: 2020-06-03 19:30:32
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 4,152
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19470637
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/gloryasme/pseuds/gloryasme
Summary: (Y/n)  places the plastic bags in (his/their/her) arms on the living room table and the others dig through them curiously."The Game of Life?" Nadia asked curiously, Portia at her side."Monopoly?" Asra reads, examining the board game cover with Muriel."UNO!?" Obviously neither the doctor nor the count knew what that meant, but they seemed exited to play the game nonetheless."(Y/n), I think you broke Lucio." Asra whispers to (him/them/her). Muriel chuckles softly and shakes his head."I doubt it." (He/They/She) whispered back.





	1. Lucio

One second Lucio was haunting the halls of his own wing, long since abandoned by most of the palace staff and the second he was in an unfamiliar room. A string of loud and colourful curse words escaped his mouth as his head collided with something harshly before realisation hit.

He was _corporeal_.

Lucio buzzed with excitement, not bothered by the lingering headache and examined his surroundings. It was some sort of office, he found, and found no interest in the contents of the owner’s things. He stepped out into the hall of the building, relishing the feeling of the floor under his boots, the feeling of the wall against his human hand, the air he could breathe ** _._** He was back and he was _alive_.

“Whoever’s there, I’m armed, come into the light with your hands in the air.” A familiar voice snapped sharply, a few rooms nearby having light summoned into them. (He earnestly doubted a lantern made such a bright light.) Lucio obeyed slowly, walking into the room to observe his opponent.

(He/They/She) was small and looked like (he/they/she)’d rather death than anything else at this point. It was an odd contrast to the bright eyed magician he’d seen in his wing before. (He/They/She) didn’t hold any recognition of who he was either. (His/Their/Her) clothes were… less in layers than most were usually, which was odd, and (he/they/she) didn’t seem to be casting an illumination spell.

“You can’t tell me what to do.” Lucio replies in a hiss, keeping his gaze steady with (his/theirs/hers). It definitely was the same magician Nadia had hired to figure out who killed him, but something was off. (He/They/She) didn’t seem to have the magical essence (he/they/she) had before. If only he’d gotten (his/their/her) name.

“Anyhow,” (He/They/She) hummed, unaltered by his tone and jabbed the thick, metal stick in (his/their/her) hand, (decorated in paints of words Lucio couldn’t read from where he was) into Lucio’s chest. Not hard enough to hurt or move him, but merely to assert the implications of just that. “Who are you?”

Lucio couldn’t help but growl. The magician had no doubt to who he was when they met in his wing, why would (he/they/she) be questioning him now? “ _I_ and your beloved _count_.” He spat, metallic arm twitching angrily. He wanted to make (him/them/her) remember who he was. He wanted (him/them/her) to suffer for forgetting. “Lucio, ruler of Vesuvia. You should know this!” Violence wouldn’t get him out of this situation well, so he held himself back, a talent he’d learnt over his years of ruling.

The magician clicks (his/their/her) tongue and shakes (his/their/her) head. “Never heard of it.” (He/They/She) remarks curtly. “Some kinda cult in the area?” Sarcasm dripped from (his/their/her) voice like blood and Lucio shuddered with suppressed anger. _It’s been so long since he got his hands on anyone_. However, he kept himself back, to the point Nadia might’ve been impressed.

“It’s not a cult.” He growled. “It is my kingdom. This is my kingdom!” he was getting defensive and he knew it, but he also knew this magician was a local. Why would (he/they/she) pretend not to know of (his/their/her) homeland? (He/They/She) blinked slowly.

“Vesuvia doesn’t exist on any map I’ve seen, dude.” Words swept slowly from (his/their/her) lips, Lucio could see (his/their/her) guard lower ever slightly, though, he had definitely given no reason for this action. (His/Their/Her) gaze on Lucio was wary, but in a more… pitiful way than it had before. Lucio hated it. “And we don’t use the term ‘count’ for our rulers.”

Lucio felt all of his anger momentarily subside. In almost a panic he examined the surrounding room.

A couch that look ten times more comfortable than any he had back in the castle pressed against the wall, a small table below his knees in the middle of the room, a weird black rectangle his eyes lingered on floating on the wall. The living room (he thinks that’s what it was) opened into what looked like a kitchen only a noble could afford with a few appliances Lucio couldn’t name and donning a window that opened out to a large balcony of some sort.

“This isn’t- this…” he bolts towards a glass door and (it takes him a second) slides it open. He rushes to the balcony railing (there was actually a mini pool out here, it was a large outdoor area), leaning over to look out at the streets below.

The few carriages he could see below moved a lot faster than the ones back in Vesuvia and had long beams of light to show the direction they travelled. There were more lights somehow standing over the street, illuminating other tall buildings, much taller than anything Vesuvia ever built.

Lucio swivelled on his heels to look at the magician, who’d abandoned the metal stick (he/they/she) had before and leant casually against the door frame with (his/their/her) arms folded, watching him. He couldn’t place (his/their/her) expression to any specific emotion. It was some mixture of caution and curiosity.

“What did you do to me, witch!?” he snaps at (him/them/her), stepping towards the magician and jabbing a golden figure into (his/their/her) chest.

“I don’t-.” the sentence died in (his/their/her) throat, expression changing to confused pity. “Are you okay- like-.” The magician tapped (his/their/her) temple. Lucio was _very_ offended, and made a mixed noise of a gasp and scoff.

“I am _not_ retarded.” He hissed, stepping closer and standing a fair bit taller than the magician, though (he/they/she) didn’t express fear of any type. That only irritated Lucio more. “This place, this… this _world_ , it’s of your creation, witch, take me back to my kingdom!”

“I don’t understand what you’re asking me.” (He/They/She) says, though the pity does seem to be less evident in (his/their/her) eyes now. There’s a pair of dark sounding growls and the magician turns to face two pure white furred dogs barring their teeth at (him/them/her).

“Mercedes! Melchior!” Lucio beamed happily, forgetting his argument moments prior, and warmly accepted the pair of dogs running to him on his call, ecstatically peppering his face in doggy kisses. To allow this to happen, the magician had to step out of the door way. (He/They/She) wandered behind Lucio and lingered mid-step. (He/They/She) then slid the balcony door open more and squeezed past the little family reunion and further into the building.

Lucio followed with curiosity, the dogs at his heels, and lingered in the doorway of (his/their/her) bathroom, simply watching as (he/they/she) rummaged through the cabinets beneath the sink.

“What are you looking for?” Lucio asked, his silver eyes gazing over the magician’s form suspiciously.

“I heard you swearing when you got here, by magic, I’m assuming.” (he/they/she) starts, not again continuing until (he/they/she) saw Lucio nod slowly. “I noticed you have a massive fucking cut on the back of your head earlier.” Lucio paled and the headache from earlier suddenly made… a lot more sense. He could also see the blood seeping down his neck in the mirror, staining his clothes.

“Oh.” Lucio looked back at the magician, whom had gone back to looking through (his/their/her) cabinets. “Are you a doctor?” Lucio’s voice was surprisingly… not seething with anger. Just wary curiosity.

“I am educated in the field of medical treatment.” The magician mused, causing Lucio to cock an eyebrow curiously. “Besides, if you sleep with a head injury I can’t promise you’ll wake up.” (he/they/she) shrugged. The smaller of the dogs growled at (him/them/her) and the taller whined.

“ _Fine._ ”

The magician motioned for Lucio to sit on the edge of the bathtub as (he/they/she) continued to ruffle through the draws. “What’re you even looking for? You didn’t answer me before.” Lucio mutters, feeling the edge of the bath dig into his buttocks.

“Hush.” The magician replied, pulling out a small white box with a green cross and placing it on the basin. Lucio scoffed and rolled his eyes, but kept quiet and (he/they/she) continued to open the box and pull separate supplies from it.

The two dogs sat protectively sat at Lucio’s feet on the tiled floors and growled at the magician as (he/they/she) got near. “I’m just trying to make sure he doesn’t die in his sleep.” (he/they/she) quips to the dogs. They consider (him/them/her) then allow (him/them/her) to step into the bath. “Damn dude, what did you land on?” she asked, dabbing a white wipe to the back of Lucio’s scalp. It stung and Lucio took in a deep breath before he could answer.

Lucio held his breath and cringed at the stinging but held through with it as the magician cleaned up the blood and wrapped a bandage around Lucio’s head. “What’s your name?” Lucio asked as (he/they/she) was wrapping it.

“What? Oh. My name is (Y/n).” Lucio hums and the pair fall into quiet. (Y/n) finished the bandage. “It’s not bleeding that much so we’ll just have to wait for it to heal.” (He/They/She) says.

“We?” Lucio asked, tilting his head curiously as (Y/n) packed up the box and placed it back in the cabinet. When did they become a partnership?

“Well, you’re certain of your story, right?” (Y/n) picked up the bloodied wipe and tossed in in the bin as she replied.

“Yes.” Lucio muses, his eyes glinting suspiciously again. He wondered what that had to do with anything.

“If I set you out on the street with that you’ll be sent to a mental hospital, and I can’t have that on my mind.”

“Mental hospital?” Lucio questioned, following (Y/n) out of the bathroom and back into the kitchen.

“It’s a place for people that aren’t right in the head, or are a danger to themselves if left on their own for too long.” (He/They/She) explained simply.

“Sounds horrible.” Lucio shudders.

“It is horrible.” (Y/n) replied.

Lucio wanted to question her further, but a whine from his dogs caught his attention. “Do you have anything to feed them?” He asks.

“I don’t have dog food.” (Y/n) retorts with a sigh, opening the door to a large white box.

“They eat pomegranates.”

“Why do they- actually no. I don’t care.” (Y/n) shakes (his/their/her) head. “I don’t have any on me though, I could go shopping, I am in need of more food…” (Y/n) trailed off in thought before coming to a decision. “Yeah, okay, I’ll go shopping.” (He/They/She) grunted as (he/they/she) leaned forwards to pop the joints in (his/their/her) back.

“I shall be accompanying you.” Lucio declares, confidentially raising a thumb to his chest like he was bravely volunteering for something dangerous. (Y/n) paused what (he/they/she) was doing and stared at him for a second.

“What? We’re not-. Not right now.” (Y/n) says, stopping him from touching the front door. On closer inspection, he wouldn’t have gotten past the locks anyways.

“Why not?” Lucio pouting, expressing the anger of a child not getting what they want. His usual routine as it were.

“It’s three AM, no worthwhile shop is open at this time.” (He/They/She) says. Lucio groans and rolls his eyes.

“But they’re hungry.” He says, referring to the dogs. (Y/n) hums to herself, looking over to the white furred canines curiously.

“Dogs eat…” she trails off and walks back into the kitchen, Lucio and the dogs trailing behind curiously as she opens the white box once more. Cold air washed out of it and a minimal amount of food was inside.

“Does watermelon sound good?” She was looking to the dogs for an answer. They looked at each other, then to Lucio, then (Y/n). “I’m going to take that as a yes.” She says, pulling half a watermelon from the cold enclosure wrapped in a thin, clear material.

(Y/n) tore the clear wrap from the melon and balled in up, dismissing it to the side as (he/they/she) grabs a cutting board and knife. Lucio poked at the ball of thin material, curiously, then looked up to watch (Y/n) cut through the watermelon and then more so, so it was in reasonable sized pieces for the dogs and places it on the ground for them. Melchior was the first to sniff at the melon and decide to nibble on it. Mercedes followed and the pair began to hungrily dig into the fruit.

“You aren’t hungry by any chance, right?” (He/They/She) asked Lucio.

“Uh… I- no. I’m not-.” There was a thud from another room and a low grumble. The dog’s stop eating, their ears perking up and facing the direction where the sound came from.

“Another one.” (Y/n) sighed. There was a small squeaking sound and (Y/n) paled.

“SHIT!”


	2. Muriel

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> godforsaken

Muriel was travelling between consciousness when he had been dragged inside an unfamiliar domain and deposited on a cushiony surface. Two voices warbled in his mind, both he could just barely recognise.

“He still remains undefeated.”

That was the late counts voice, swirling in his mind in a tone of content, almost pleased, amusement. It echoed and melded with everything Lucio had ever done or said to him and it made him incredibly uncomfortable. He wasn’t safe here and needed, HAD to leave. Muriel vaguely felt something small and warm press against his forehead.

“Well, he doesn’t have a fever,”

THAT voice was (Y/n)’s. A thousand and one questions buzzed about Muriel’s head, making him dizzier and less coordinated before. What would that godforsaken spirit of a goat have worth in dealing with (Y/n)?

“Maybe he just hit the wall a little too hard?”

Muriel felt his stream of thoughts increase by the second and the throbbing in his head became too much. He passed out.

* * *

When Muriel awoke, he found himself examining the odd sight of three dogs seeming fine with each other’s presence in the kitchen. Inanna eating from a plate beside one of Lucio’s dogs, the other resting on the floor beside the couch.

The man wouldn’t have noticed any of this at first if he was less attentive, it was dark still, and that told him it was still early morning. He honest to god nearly stepped on one of the dog’s tails (it was Melchior’s, he thinks) before the thing growled at him and scampered off.

Inanna was quick to Muriel’s side he awoke, asking if he was okay. “I’m fine…” and she left.

Muriel was confused but didn’t follow her and kept a wary eye of Lucio’s dogs until she inevitably returned. She did, of course, followed by (Y/n) (him/them/her)self. Muriel didn’t believe (he/they/she)’d recognise him, but they waltz right past and entered the kitchen, opening a cabinet and pulling out two glass cups, filling them with water (magically routed through the pipes perhaps?) and then walked back to him offering one.

“You might’ve had a fever, so.” (He/They/She) shrugged. Muriel hesitated and slightly took the glass, only by Inanna’s insist. Muriel watched (Y/n) plop onto the couch and groan, leaning into the cushions. “I can’t…” (He/They/She) groaned. “It’s too early for this.”

Inanna rested her head on (Y/n)’s lap and (he/they/she) distractedly ran (his/their/her) fingers through her fur. When did they even get that close?

“How… long was I asleep?” Muriel asked slowly. (Y/n)’s head rolled against the back cushion to look at him lazily. (He/They/She) looked tired, dark bags evident under (his/their/her) eyes and messy hair barely tied back. There’s no way (he/they/she) got much sleep at all the night prior.

“A few hours.” (his/their/her) voice croaked slightly, and that was (his/their/her) hint to drink from (his/their/her) glass. “You got here roughly around three-thirty ish, dented my ferret cage, nearly killed my pet.” Muriel sweat dropped.

“…Sorry…”

“It’s fine.” (Y/n) shrugged again. “She’s okay and doesn’t hold a grudge. I think you knocked your head pretty hard on something, though, you were pretty delusional when I brought you in.”

Muriel hummed, he did remember hitting something. Maybe something hit him? His memory wasn't helping. Muriel slid onto the couch, as far from (Y/n) as possible, and massages his temple.

“…I can’t remember much…which is unusual...”

(Y/n) didn’t ask why. (He/They/She) seemed to know better. (He/They/She) just hummed and looked off with a distant look in (his/their/her) eyes. One of Lucio’s dogs, the smaller of the two, jumped up onto the couch between them and happily curled up on the couch, her head on (Y/n)’s lap. Inanna didn’t seem bothered by her at all, attempting to do the same from the other side. The other just sat at (his/their/her) feet.

It was silent for too long a time and when Muriel turned to look at (Y/n), she’d fallen asleep curled into the dogs. Muriel couldn’t help the uneasy feeling in his gut. Both of those pure white dogs were definitely Lucio’s, and he was sure he’d heard Lucio’s voice earlier during his delusional half-consciousness.

Muriel caught himself hyperventilating and made his way over to a glass door, opening it quicker than Lucio had before (not that Muriel had knowledge of this) and stepped outside, relishing in the outdoor scent. He wandered over to the balcony, wondering if maybe he could jump off the side and leave.

That’d… that’d work… if he wanted to die. The building was many stories up, probably taller than the Vesuvian palace, with no place down the side you could use to climb. That actually explained why the door was left unlocked, now that Muriel thought about it. The sound of the door sliding open more alerted him to the presence of another person and he turned slowly.

“Hello~” Lucio’s eyes glinted as he rolled the door closed behind him. “What a way to reconnect, hm? In a new world, different to our own.” Lucio swiftly glides past Muriel, keeping a respectable distance between them as he leans against the railing himself.

The sun was rising over the horizon. It was quiet.

Muriel’s thought’s raced. If he expected anything from seeing Lucio again, it wasn’t this.

“This place is so… different to our own.” Lucio says, half-heartedly directing Muriel’s attention to the people jogging on the streets or rolling past in carriages going faster than any horse could pull. “It’s some sort of magic, I’m sure. That look-a-like magician doesn’t seem to have any knowledge of Vesuvia or those whom (he’s/they’re/she’s) close too.”

That didn’t sound right.

“Magic doesn’t seem to be a property commonly found here either.” Lucio continued, unwavering by Muriel’s silence. “It’s something used for child entertainment or-.” Lucio flicked his hand in the air, distractedly looking for a word. “Fortune telling, that’s still a thing. People wanting to _amaze_ audiences by doing the impossible, the list could go on.” Lucio shook his head giving a slightly amused chuckle. “Yet most don’t believe in magic.”

“Did she tell you this?”

If Lucio was surprised, he hid it well with a sideways glance to Muriel before turning back to the city. “Yes, she showed me examples on a weird…” Lucio looked for the proper word again. “- _device_ , people doing magic for the entertainment of others, it’s silly really, though it proved to be a useful tool in the everyday life of those owning them.”

The pair fell into silence watching the city below them. The sun had arisen now, shining brightly into their eyes.

“The cage you fell into is over there by the way.” Lucio turned and pointed towards a cage. It was out of view by entering the door as it was placed around the wall. It was dented as (Y/n) had mentioned, but of course not necessarily to the degree Muriel had thought. A small creature rested peacefully in a small hut moved away from the dent in the cage.

There was a shrill ringing that made both of the men jump, despite the sound being relatively muffled by the door. The creature in the cage seemed ignorant to the noise as the boys stepped inside (reasonably separated still) to see (Y/n) holding a small rectangular box with a mildly upset look on (his/their/her) face.

“What was that?” Lucio asked, the talker of the pair.

“My alarm.” (Y/n) replied, dragging (his/their/her) fingers through (his/their/her) hair with an irritable expression. “I’ve got work to do and people to contact.” (Y/n) waves the boys off noncommittally and disappears into (his/their/her) bedroom. (He/They/She) come out a few minutes later, dressed in proper clothes for the day and doing (his/their/her) hair. “Do what you want, don’t leave this area though, I’ll have someone check up on you guys, feed you, something, something.” (He/They/She) yawned and walked towards what the boys thought was a front door.

(Y/n) pressed her finger to a button and the doors opened into a small room. (He/They/She) stepped in, pressed something inside and gave the boys a tired smile as the doors closed.

“Yes. Leave us alone. That’s going to turn out wonderful.” Lucio spat bitterly, rolling his eyes. The dogs all raised their heads curiously. “(Y/n) left. Work.” Three small words uttered out by Lucio never sounded more like something Muriel would say it that took him a few seconds to realise Lucio WAS the one to say it.

Inanna move to follow Muriel as he stepped back outside (ignoring Lucio’s stare. It wasn’t evil or sinister, just creepy) and walking over to the small cage standing by the edge. Seeming to sense the presence of a person, the creature opened its eyes and tilted its head curiously a Muriel.

“It’s called Esmerelda, I believe,” Lucio says, leaning in the way of the sliding door. “For whatever godforsaken reason.” The ferret chittered at him, standing up and nuzzling closer to the cage. Muriel felt her fur through the cage, already seeming lost in the act of caring for such a small animal. “You can take her out of the cage, y’know.” Lucio chirped.

Muriel looked at the count curiously, then fiddled with the lock. Esmerelda skittered out, risking the jump to the floor and sped past the count (he screamed but would deny it later) into the house, pausing when she didn’t find who she was looking for. “(Y/n) left for a little bit.” Muriel says, ignoring Lucio recovering from his “heart attack” outside and addressing the small creature.

The dogs wandered over and sniffed at Esmerelda, the bigger of the white dogs placing a paw on her body. The ferret seemed trained well when dealing with other animals, as no fight seemed to break out amongst them. The trio of dogs pulled back with Esmerelda on Inanna’s muzzle, the smaller of Lucio’s dogs nosing at her every now and then.

“The small one is Mercedes, the other is Melchior.” Lucio’s voice says, now calmly, as he leans over the counter in the kitchen. Muriel gave him a weird look and Lucio shrugged. “Just so you know.” He reasoned. “You’re good with animals.” Muriel watched Lucio climb over the bench and pull open the door to a large white box, pulling out a refreshed looking collection of watermelon bits. “(Y/n) cut up too much so.” Lucio shrugged and placed the bowel into the ground, the trio of dogs (Esmerelda still on Inanna’s muzzle) race towards the meal.

“How are they still hungry?” Lucio wondered aloud, not asking for a response. Not that he’d get one if the other person to talk to was Muriel. The dark man himself rolled his neck slightly and leaned into the corner of the couch, feeling exhaustion fill his bones. He couldn't sleep though, not willingly with Lucio around. Inanna cleaned her muzzle of watermelon juice (Esmerelda was with the other two) and climbed onto the couch nuzzling into Muriel, assuring it was safe with the count. He didn’t want to believe her, yet found himself drifting off anyways.


End file.
